A small-scale version of the world’s most famous jazz music event, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, will take over The O2 next weekend.

Some of the biggest New Orleans music names — such as Dr John (centre) and Allen Toussaint — are crossing the Atlantic for Festival New Orleans, a free, two-day event bringing the spirit of the famous Bourbon Street to Greenwich.

As well as the musicians, there will be mardi gras-style carnival processions, mixologists and food demonstrations to give a full flavour of what the New Orleans scene, nicknamed the Big Easy, is really like.

Stuart Galbraith, of organisers Kilimanjaro Live said: “New Orleans culture is some of the most famous and festive in the world. The O2 owner AEG is also involved in the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the biggest musical festival in the world, and having seen what a massive event it was there, was keen to introduce it to London.”

He added: “The New Orleans style of jazz is unique, it’s something London may not have had the opportunity to see before.”

It’s the first event to use multiple areas of of the venue — Matter, IndigO2 and Entertainment Avenue, and Stuart feels it has potential to grow even bigger and will be the first festival of many.

“It’s about creating a corner of New Orleans with genuine music, food and mardi gras at The O2,” Stuart said.

Festival New Orleans, Oct 24 and Oct 25 at The O2, Greenwich.